Walmart Runs Food Safety PSA for Thanksgiving

Checkout Network Picks Up Ad Council Effort

Published on November 23, 2011.
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In preparation for Thanksgiving, Walmart is running the Ad Council's "Food Safe Families" PSA on the WalmartCheckout TV Network, showing how to prepare food safely at home. The spot "Separate," part of a pro bono campaign created by JWT New York, is running in 588 stores across the U.S., reaching more than 50 million customers.

Foodborne illnesses affect one in six Americans -- 48 million people – each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, resulting in about 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths.

"Food Safe Families" teaches people the four key food-handling behaviors: separate raw meats form other foods; clean kitchen surfaces, utensils and hands with soap and water during food preparation; cook foods to the right temperature using a food thermometer; and chill raw and prepared foods promptly.

The PSA directs viewers to FoodSafety.gov for information on food safety. Consumers can also visit Ask Karen for answers to almost 1,500 questions on preventing food poisoning.

"We realize food safety is a shared responsibility, and we want to help empower our customers with clear food safety tips they can learn about at the checkout lane and, hopefully, put into practice in their own kitchen at home," said Frank Yiannas, VP-food safety, WalmartStores, in a statement.

The effort was introduced in July by the Ad Council and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service in partnership with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the CDC.